I’ve been on this “blogging” journey for almost a year and a half, and during my travels into cyberspace I have met a creative and productive group of photographers and writers. We move through this extraordinary experience together–a community of seekers. We seek to discover, grow, improve, learn, and share. It is a commitment of the rewarding kind.

I am particularly blessed to have been nominated for another award by a lovely gentleman at http://greenbenchramblings.wordpress.com. While it feels really good to be recognized by those who peruse my blog, it serves as an opportunity to reflect on why I spend time enjoying the commentary and photographs found on my nominator’s site.

As he says, “Greenbenchramblings is all about gardening and the natural world. It is my musings about our garden and gardens we visit, the wildlife in our garden and on our allotment community site, and places of natural beauty and interest we visit.” He and his wife have been gardeners for over 20 years, which drew me to his site. He fills each post with images that charm and record their gardening days. But the content is wider and deeper through his pictorial renderings of the “green” life.

There are a number of reasons to visit with him, share his journey. If you are enamored with nature or just became a fan, he will seal the deal. His passion for gardens, gardening and organic techniques are fulfilled in his hometown (Shrewsbury, England) and beyond its borders.

In the Lens section is my photograph about reflections–the reflections cast upon us by nature and human nature: the duality of the mosaic glass sculpture that mirrors Mother Nature’s majesty and human nature’s creativity. The artwork, which is displayed in a bay window, is an instant lift that braces the soul and humbles the spirit–just the way that I feel about the nomination.

Now I must comply with the rules. Tell seven things about myself and pass on the award to seven bloggers.

Seven things about me:

1. I’ve been a vegetarian for more years than I was not.

2. I’m a passionate gardener, and regardless of the weather find joy in the garden’s presence and tending it.

3. My favorite nature writer is Henry David Thoreau.

4. I love the heat of summer and cringe at the thought of the cold of winter.

5. I volunteer at the local botanical gardens.

6. Enthusiasm is the word to describe my love of the birds that reside in and around my home.

7. Wildlife habitats are part my ongoing efforts in my gardens and others. I like to spread the word.

I am grateful that Green Bench Ramblings included me in his list of nominees. I lift my cup of garden-grown verbena tea to his wife and him. I thank them for their advocacy on behalf of gardens, gardening and wildlife.

Note: As always I welcome comments about this post or any part of my blog.

Congratulations. Love how man and nature’s work fused into one amazing , beautiful image. A reflection of joy, positivity, even hope that we all can create a better place to live if our heart longs for it.

I looked at your list of bloggers that you nominated and I just randomly clicked on MikeHardisty. I like his photos and the fact the HE IS NOT A SNOB. I like the fact that he does not use any of the very popular cameras nor is he a MAC user. Those things impressed me as much as his wonderful photography. I will be following him and looking at each post that he puts on the web.